Racing horse toy



Feb. 6, 1962 o. w. BERBERICH 3,019,559

RACING HORSE TOY Filed Aug. 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 6 0570WBer$e7-icZa BY Q ATTORNEYS Feb. 6, 1962 o. w. BERBERICH RACING HORSETOY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 12, 1959 INVENTOR 6 0270 WZererz'ckATTORNEYS United titres 3,019,550 RAtIING HORSE TQY Otto W. Berherich,Rte. 1, Sandy Lane, Richmond, Va. Filed Aug. 12, 1959, Ser. No. 833,3173 Claims. (Cl. 46-107) This invention aims to provide a simple andinexpensive wheeled toy embodying race horse simulations (or otheranimal simulations) mounted in a novel manner and so actuated as torepresent a race.

A further object is to mount the front ends of the simulations on cranksof a front rotatable axle and the rear ends of said simulations oncranks of a rear rotatable axle; whereby, the simulations will be stablysupported and, upon simultaneous rotation of the two axles, saidsimulations will well represent galloping animals.

A further object is to so offset some of the cranks of each axle as tocause relative movements of the simulations, for more realisticrepresentation.

Another object is to provide for movement of the simulations, bymomentum, beyond the throw of the cranks, for still more realisticrepresentation.

Yet another object is to provide a novel wheeled base havinglongitudinal slots in which the simulations are operable.

A still further object is to provide a toy which may inexpensively andexpeditiously be manufactured and will allow no jamming of elementsregardless of the rough tolerances inevitable in rapid toy manufacture.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be presently apparent,the invention consists in general of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described,illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly claimed.

In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate like parts in theseveral views, and

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation;

FIGURE 2 is a top view, partly broken away;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section on lines 3-3 of FIGURES 2 and 4; and

FIGURE 4 is a bottom view.

The construction shown in the drawings will be rather specificallydescribed, but attention is invited to the possibility of makingvariations.

A front axle 5 and a rear axle 5a are provided, said axles having wheels6 and 6a, respectively, secured to their ends. The front axle 5 has fourcranks 7 spaced apart longitudinally thereof; and the rear axle 5a hasfour cranks 7a spaced in the same manner and of the same length as thecranks 7. Two of the front cranks 7 are offset 90 from the other two ofthe front cranks; and two of the rear cranks 7a are ofiset in the samemanner from the other two of the rear cranks.

A base 8 overlies the axles 5 and 5a and has bearing blocks 9 by meansof which it is mounted on said axles. This base 8 comprises a four-sidedframe 10, and longitudinal bars 11 secured by nails or the like 12 uponthe front and rear members of said frame. The bars 11 are laterallyspaced apart to provide slots 13 between them.

Cut-out horse simulations 14 are movable in the slots 13 and haveelongated base portions 14a. The front ends of these base portions 14aare mounted on the front cranks 7; and the rear ends of said baseportions are mounted on the rear cranks 7a.

The base portions 14a have short longitudinal slots 15 and 15a looselyengaged with the cranks 7 and 7a, respectively. Each slot 15 or 1511preferably comprises a notch in the base portion 14a, and a metal strip16 is secured across the open side of said notch.

3,01%,559 Patented Feb. 6, 1962 Pull cords 17 are secured to the frontend of the base 8 and preferably extend to a ring (not shown).

Operation When the toy is pulled, the Wheels 6 and 6a drive the axles 5and 5a, and the cranks 7 and 7a cause: such movements of the simulations14 as to give the appearance of galloping horses. The offset relation ofthe cranks causes relative movements of the simulations M, for betterrepresentation of a race than if said simulations moved onlyneck-to-neck. Then, too, for still better representation, the slots 15and 15a allow movement of the simulations 14, by momentum, beyond thethrow of the cranks. The slots 15 and 15a also allow for crudetolerances which are inevitable in rapid toy manufacture and prevent anyjamming of elements.

The toy may be rapidly and inexpensively manufactured from Wood, wire,short sheet metal strips, and common nails, etc. It may therefore beprofitably marketed at a reasonable price.

Attention is again invited to the possibility of making variations, andparticular attention is invited to the possibility of having thesimulations represent animals other than horses.

I claim:

1. A toy comprising a frame, a front rotatable axle, a rear rotatableaxle, both of said axles having cranks spaced apart longitudinallythereof, wheels supporting said axles and operative to drive the same,each of said cranks on said rear axle being in alignment longitudinallyof the frame with a corresponding crank on the said front axle to form aplurality of aligned pairs of cranks, each of said pairs of crankshaving an animal simulation pivotally connected thereto, said animalsimulation being rigid and bridging said pair of cranks, whereby whensaid axles are rotated, said simulations will represent animals racing,each of said pivotal connections comprising a longitudinal slot looselyengaging said cranks, said slots permitting movement of said simulationsby momentum beyond the throw of said cranks.

2. A toy comprising a frame, a front rotatable axle, a rear rotatableaxle, both of said axles having cranks spaced apart longitudinallythereof, Wheels supporting said axles and operative to drive the same,each of said cranks on said rear axle being in alignment longitudinallyof the frame with a corresponding crank on the said front axle to form aplurality of aligned pairs of cranks, each of said pairs of crankshaving an animal simulation pivotally connected thereto, said animalsimulation being rigid and bridging said pair of cranks, each of saidpair of cranks being angularly offset relative to said other pairs, saidsimulations having the appearance of animals racing with the leadcyclically changing, each of said pivotal connections comprising alongitudinal slot loosely engaging said cranks, said slots permittingmovement of said simulations by momentum beyond the throw of saidcranks.

3. A toy as set forth in claim 1, each of said slots comprising a notchand a strip secured across the open side of said notch.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS666,527 Kingsbury Jan. 22, 1901 1,603,038 Ferguson Oct. 12, 19262,772,513 Hagen Dec. 4, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 208,064 Great Britain Dec.13, 1923

